Hidden Warrior.

2^nd Sermon for mid-week Lent services, 2020

Grace and peace to all of you in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

John 11:33-37  ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled.  ³⁴ He asked, “Where have you laid him?”  They told him, “Lord, come and see.”  ³⁵ Jesus wept.  ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Dear friends in Christ,

            He came to speak at our seminary class, and if he were visiting here tonight, nothing about his appearance would make him stick out in your mind.  Even his last name is rather ordinary in the Wisconsin Synod.  But, that missionary began to tell us about his work in Peru, and we learned how this ordinary, American citizen, a fellow graduate of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mankato, had helped start congregations in several parts of the Peruvian jungle, and Lutheran schools among the indigenous peoples, and how he struggled against witch doctors, voodoo, and native superstitions.  His “Jungle Journal” reports became fascinating reading for me.  I dare say, we might call him a hidden warrior in the battle for souls.

This evening, we focus our attentions on a far greater Hidden Warrior—The Son of God went forth to war in a decades-long-battle that would change the history of the world.  Now, one might expect such a great warrior to have an imposing physical build, to be tough as rawhide, and perhaps show no emotion at all, but as Isaiah had foretold, “He had no attractiveness and no majesty.  When we saw him, nothing about his appearance made us desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)  Jesus looked like just any ordinary man, with the same physical needs and emotions as all of us. 

Luke does hint at one major difference between us and Jesus: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.” (Luke 2:52)  Jesus was completely without sin for He had no sinful nature.  Think about how unusual of a first-born child Jesus must have been: always perfectly respectful, smart, kind, and obedient, even when His parents were grumpy or less than fair. 

Sometimes, I feel a bit sorry for the other children in Mary and Joseph’s family—what a difference there must have been between holy Jesus and His ordinary brothers and sisters.  Mary and Joseph would never have had a reason to punish Jesus, because unlike me, Jesus never sinned, not even accidently.  Peter later testified, “He did not commit a sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)  Jesus came into the world to live like this so that, “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot,” (1 Peter 1:19) the Father in heaven could redeem all of us from sin, death, and the devil.

Jesus was perfectly sin-free, but likely no one noticed He was different than the other children, because He wasn’t a showoff; He didn’t flaunt His superiority.  However, in humility, Jesus lived to serve.  He felt compassion for others.  He ate, slept, and wept, yet always without any hint of sin, so that He could go to the cross as the absolute perfect sacrifice for you and me.

Of course, if anyone had been expecting Jesus to be the perfect child, they might have noticed some differences.  His willingness to help his parents and submit to their authority was remarkable.  As a twelve-year-old lad, He was enthralled to study the Scriptures, engaging the teachers in discussions about God’s Word, and His answers were a telling sign that He had come to battle for the truth.

Jesus’ greatness and power as our Hidden Warrior were occasionally put on display.  To glorify God, when Jesus learned that His dear friend Lazarus was sick, He intentionally delayed His return to the home Lazarus shared with his two sisters at Bethany.  Thus, before Jesus got there, His dear friend had been dead in the grave for four days.  When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled.  He asked, “Where have you laid him?”  They told him, “Lord, come and see.”  Jesus wept. 

We know what it is like to cry at funerals.  We weep for our pain and for the grief of those we love.  Jesus also wept for His friends.  He hated their pain.  Jesus was emotionally stirred up inside, because He loved these people as friends, and though He didn’t show His anger, it was there—righteous anger against the pain that sin, death, and the devil had caused all His friends, including you and me.  Hidden in those simple words of grief we see what drove Jesus to live, suffer, and die for you and me.  Love for His friends, and an emotional determination to defeat those things we could not.

As we journey through Lent, there are many reasons we might be moved to tears.  Repentance begins with sorrow for sin and during Lent, we recall those times we caused pain to others.  Perhaps, it was in disobeying our parents, or when our inconsiderate words hurt our own children.  Maybe it’s the irritation or anger we caused with simple things like time wasted on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or various other shallow entertainments, gambling, or games.  How many times have we ignored the needs of dear ones who need our presence, help, and love?  Or, how often have we neglected a chance to tell someone about Jesus, and left a troubled soul adrift and untouched by our Savior’s compassion?

Thankfully, we have something better than a box of tissues to dry our tears.  There is great compassion and unfathomable power under the surface of our Hidden Warrior.  The Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”  When I was in fourth grade, I was in that crowd.  No, I’m not two thousand years old, but when my mother woke me up one morning with the sad news that my grandmother had died, I too was asking, “Why couldn’t God make her better?”

You see, we weren’t created to die, so death hurts no matter how it touches us.  Jesus grieved because of the agony death was inflicting upon His friends.  He hated the pain Satan had caused by introducing sin into the world.  Those friends mourning with Mary and Martha also hated the pain their friends were suffering, and most of the people there believed Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying.  It might be weak faith, but it was faith in Jesus.

By the time of this event, everyone in the regions of Judah and Galilee had heard of Jesus’ countless miracles and healings.  They knew Jesus had incredible power but, in fact, no one could overestimate how much power.  St. Paul wrote, “Christ Jesus.  Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant.  When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man.” (Philippians 2:5-7) 

What Paul explained is that Jesus is not just 50% Man and 50% God, but that Jesus is fully God as well as fully Man.  Trying to understand that, Martin Luther said, is “Like trying to illuminate the sun with a candle!”  It is beyond what we can fully comprehend that the Son, eternally begotten of the Father, took the human nature into the godhead when He became a human being in Mary’s womb.  Yet, the true God-Man held the divine nature in the human. 

Jesus, according to His human nature, set aside, or emptied Himself, of the use of His divine power and majesty.  For most of His life on earth, the divine remained hidden.  Yet, Jesus revealed it little by little in the miracles and the Transfiguration.  This gathering at Lazarus’ tomb is one of those times.  Jesus told Martha she would see the glory of God, and you know what happened as Jesus called Lazarus out from the grave.  With just that glimpse of His almighty power, Jesus punched death in the mouth and forced it to yield.  Like a warrior testing and practicing his skills before a great battle, Jesus prepared for His final hand to hand combat with the devil that was coming up only a week hence.

The devil didn’t just attack Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—he was attacking God Almighty, there, but consider the great damage the old evil foe has done to our world and to all people—death came to all creation.  The world, and everything in it, was created for the good of mankind, so that God could provide everything we need to be part of life with Him.  Satan can’t stand that thought.  The devil wanted to own it all, to rule everything and thwart God’s beautiful plan.  Satan wanted to keep God from having any relationship with you and me, and still today, the devil tries to steal away our hope of heaven. 

That’s why God’s plan is so perfect.  If Jesus were just a human, even a perfect human, His sacrifice would cover only Himself, and Jesus would have to come back continually to suffer and die for every sinner one at a time.  But, when God’s Son stepped into the fight, His life and death could substitute for the whole world.  Not only is His life more valuable than all creation, but with the power of God hidden in human flesh, the Savior could destroy death in one ultimate confrontation.  When death swallowed the God-Man, death’s head was crushed when it bit down on the heal of the Son of God and Mary, so death couldn’t hold Jesus, and it can no longer hold us, and just as Jesus was raised from the dead so also will we be raised.

Jesus told His disciples, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” (John 15:13 NKJ)  Jesus called those disciples His friends.  Lazarus was Jesus dearly loved friend as well, and Jesus said the same thing about you and me at our baptisms.  There in the water and Word, the God-Man made you His friend.  So, how does that loving relationship make you feel when you are weak, hurt, scared, or dying?  Who do you have in your corner when a bully tries to pick on you, when another person thinks you can’t do anything right, when your spouse gives you the silent treatment, a friend betrays you, or when even your body turns against you in illness or aging?  Look up to Jesus’ cross and find your answer; Jesus laid down His life for His dearly loved friends, for you.

Our world is full of trouble and affliction.  We know the devil roams around seeking whom he might yet devour, and death is ever knocking at the door.  Illness again abounds.  Wars and rumors of war are rampant.  Sometimes, it might feel like God is far away and not paying attention.

The truth is, though, our Mighty Warrior, the Savior who gave His life so that we can live forever, hides Himself here among us, today, like when He raised Lazarus from the grave.  Today, Jesus hides in plain sight in His Word and Sacraments, always ready to help and befriend us.

Concerning God’s Son, the Psalmist wrote, “You make him the ruler over the works of your hands.  You put everything under his feet.” Psalm 8:6)  On the day He ascended to heaven, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 29:18)  So, picture it this way: with one hand, Jesus is upholding and controlling the universe, and He has His other hand wrapped firmly, but gently, around you.  We can’t see that yet, because God’s Son allows Himself to be seen only in the Means of Grace He has given us, but He is there, working all things for our everlasting good.

Dear friends, you matter to Jesus.  He gave His life on the cross so that you will live.  He rose from the grave so that we can know without a doubt that His triumph over death and the devil is complete.  Jesus works for your everlasting peace every moment of every day.  The Holy Spirit assures us, “Christ Jesus, who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us!” (Romans 8:34)  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.

The tears flowed from Jesus eyes as He felt the pain of His friends.  He shed those tears, also, for you and me.  Every prayer you have ever whispered, or shouted out in pain, was heard by your Hidden Warrior.  Jesus carries them personally to His Father along with our every plea for forgiveness. 

It’s not just His tears, though, that show us Jesus cares—His cross is the ultimate testimony for how much Jesus loves you, and His triumph over death proves how powerful your beloved, loving Friend truly is.  For now, the Warrior remains hidden.  Soon enough, He will reveal His glory, and every knee will bow, even of those who pierced Him.  Your rescue from sin and death is a sure and certain thing, because you are in mighty hands, the hands of the Hidden Warrior—God’s own beloved Son.  Glory be to Jesus.  Amen.

May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with you all.  Amen.